YOONG Siew Wah 翁兆华
The Public Service,
Accession Number 002603
- Oral History Centre
Source
- 10
Total Reels
- Jason Lim (Dr)
Interviewer
- 04:57:16
Total Running Time
- English
Language
Copyright Notice
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Reel/Disc 1 of 10
Metadata
- 26 Feb 2002
Recording Date
- 00:30:38
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Citation/reproduction requires written permission from the source
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Family background. Recollection of his childhood. Impressions of his teachers at Methodist Boys' School in Kuala Lumpur. School activities. Attended Kong Siew Free School in afternoons. Why his parents sent him to two schools. Ambition as student. Vague memory of bombing of Kuala Lumpur and Australian soldiers in 1941. First impression of Japanese soldier. Water torture employed by Japanese. Life for his family during Japanese Occupation. Uncle managed Bentong Distillery. Responsibilities as supervisor at Bentong Distillery. Demand for colonial currency after Japanese surrendered.
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Reel/Disc 2 of 10
Metadata
- 26 Feb 2002
Recording Date
- 00:30:24
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Citation/reproduction requires written permission from the source
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Effects of inflation during Japanese Occupation. Food supplies. Working at Bentong Distillery and making of wine. Contribution of money to anti-Japanese forces. Cruelty of Japanese soldiers. News of Japanese surrender in August 1945. Public trial of detective. Impression that Communists in Malaya were just as cruel as Japanese soldiers. Revenge attacks against informers. Has no recollection of any racial clashes. Witnessed Japanese surrender ceremony at Bentong; his impressions of Japanese garrison. Travelled in lorry during Japanese Occupation.
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Reel/Disc 3 of 10
Metadata
- 26 Feb 2002
Recording Date
- 00:30:29
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Citation/reproduction requires written permission from the source
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Travelled in lorry between Bentong and Kuala Lumpur during Japanese Occupation. Rejoined Methodist Boys' School in September 1945. Subjects taken and chapel services. No ambitions during his Senior Cambridge year in 1947. Worked in Malaya Command as clerk in 1948. Transferred to Base Ordnance Depot (BOD) in Singapore later that year. First impressions of Singapore. Colleagues at BOD. Reasons for joining Singapore Police Force (SPF) in 1950. Interviews before joining SPF. What SPF was like in 1950s. Training programme and police life for Cadet Sub-Inspectors.
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Reel/Disc 4 of 10
Metadata
- 13 Mar 2002
Recording Date
- 00:30:31
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Citation/reproduction requires written permission from the source
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Police uniform in 1950s. Impression of his instructors at Police Training School (PTS). Recollection of Maria Hertogh riot of December 1950. Casualties at Beach Road Police Station. Public image of police. Studied Malay Standard I and Chinese Standard II. Posted to Special Branch (SB) in January 1951. Malayan Emergency. Arrest of Secretary of City Committee in 1950. Role of Chinese (Internal) Section in SB. Effects of "October Resolution" in Singapore from 1953. Impression of Lim Chin Siong and English-educated communist intelligentsia. Role of agents.
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Reel/Disc 5 of 10
Metadata
- 13 Mar 2002
Recording Date
- 00:30:27
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Citation/reproduction requires written permission from the source
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Recruitment of agents for Special Branch (SB). Anecdote concerning escape of communist killer from detention at General Hospital (GH). Anecdote of raid at Geylang Serai. Banishing communists to China. Brief recollection of Hock Lee Bus Riots in 1955 and anti-National Service riots in 1954. Communist cells and their agitation against Preservation of Public Security Ordinance (PPSO). Posted to Central Division as Routine Officer in 1958. Transferred to Radio Division as Chief Patrol Officer in 1959.
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Reel/Disc 6 of 10
Metadata
- 13 Mar 2002
Recording Date
- 00:30:18
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Citation/reproduction requires written permission from the source
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Transferred back to Special Branch (SB) in 1960. Surveillance of pro-Communists in People's Action Party (PAP). Anecdote of how Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) tried to recruit him to be their agent in 1961. Advisory role of Security Liaison Officers from MI5 in SB. Recording of rally speeches. Surveillance of Barisan Sosialis (BS) members and why Dr Lee Siew Choh was not considered communist. Responsibility in dealing with labour unions and political parties at SB.
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Reel/Disc 7 of 10
Metadata
- 13 Mar 2002
Recording Date
- 00:30:33
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Citation/reproduction requires written permission from the source
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Responsibilities in Special Branch (SB) after his promotion. Surveillance of "fellow travellers" (communist sympathisers). Problems with long surveillance. Decision by Internal Security Council (ISC) for Operation Coldstore in 1962. Planning and execution of operation. Interrogation of detainees and deportation of some of them to Malaysia. What he heard about detention of James Fu and Lim Chin Siong. Work of Internal Security Department (ISD). Why Dr Lee Siew Choh was not arrested in Operation Coldstore. Impressions of Lim Chin Siong. Role of ISD since 1962.
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Reel/Disc 8 of 10
Metadata
- 13 Mar 2002
Recording Date
- 00:30:29
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Citation/reproduction requires written permission from the source
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Arrest of secret society members to prevent racial riots in 1969. Near-arrest of Lee Kuan Yew because of "Malaysian Malaysia" concept. Additional role of Internal Security Department (ISD) after separation in 1965. Impression that Singapore had no problems with Indonesia after Suharto came to power. Impressions of Directors/Heads he worked under - A E G Blades, E J Linsell, George Bogaars, Tay Seow Huah and Percy Pennefather. Transferred to Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) as Director in 1968. Investigating corruption in Singapore Police Force (SPF).
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Reel/Disc 9 of 10
Metadata
- 1 Apr 2002
Recording Date
- 00:30:26
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Citation/reproduction requires written permission from the source
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
More about investigating corruption in Singapore Police Force (SPF) through the arrest of illegal chap ji kee operators. Anecdote of an Immigration Officer who was investigated by Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB). Corruption of police officers. Richard Corridon's work at CPIB and his retirement. Monitoring of "The Plen" by Internal Security Department (ISD) when he was appointed Director in 1971. Impressions of "Laju" hijack in 1974 and its aftermath. Interviewee was one of 13 guarantors who flew with hijackers to Kuwait.
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Reel/Disc 10 of 10
Metadata
- 1 Apr 2002
Recording Date
- 00:23:01
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Citation/reproduction requires written permission from the source
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Continuation of impressions of "Laju" hijack in 1974. Impressions of Malaysian Special Branch with respect to "Laju" hijack. Circumstances which led to his retirement from Internal Security Department (ISD) in 1976. Has not worked since retirement. No future plans. Review of his last years in service. Highlights of his career.
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